Free Tattoo Offer Brings Crowd To Marigny Business

Free Tattoo Offer Brings Crowd To Marigny Business

Some promotional ideas are gold. Buy one, get one. Hot dog night at the ballpark. And of course, free tattoos in the Marigny.

“I like getting tattoos already. Why not get a free one?” said Anthony Cano as an artist at Downtown Tattoos began coloring-in his latest ink image.

Cano joined a big crowd of tattoo fans at the shop for a giveaway organized by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum. Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins would have been 102 on this day. Collins is credited with creating an iconic style of tattoo that is still popular today. All afternoon and evening on Wednesday, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum allowed 102 people to receive a free tattoo in Collin’s style.

“It’s a great day for this. For our town, this is something everyone is going to come out for. If you throw out free tattoos, people are going to show up for them,” said Steve Marsh while laying on his back and getting his free ink.

It’s hard to argue that the Faubourg Marigny could be the best possible New Orleans neighborhood to have a tattoo giveaway. Still, the owner of Downtown Tattoo wasn’t sure in the morning if there’d be a line of customers.

“I came jogging by this morning at 7:00, and it was wrapped around the building. I was, like, oh my gosh,” shop owner Hayley Waldner said.

As of Wednesday night at 10:00, about 90 of the 102 free tattoos had been inked. The shop planned to stay open even later if needed, or invite some customers to return the next day, to finish the job.